Do The Wiggles Do High School Gigs?

Posted in DemEd in Real LifeTeaching on Dec 16, 2009 - 12:51 PM

December drives me crazy.
There is simply too much to do.
Too much to do at home, and too much to do at school.


December is a curriculum crunch time for me. I am always a few lessons behind where I have planned to be. I am always playing catch-up. I try to add just that much more into each lesson, and just when the kids have a bad case of the "I don't wanna."

The worst thing about December is the lack of focus. Mine, theirs, ours.

Despite my best intentions, and my jam packed lessons, we all get distracted. Unfortunately, when I get distracted, unfocused, hazy, and vague, the kids get wiggly. Is that a good way to say it? Yeah, wiggly. They wiggle in their seats, they wiggle out of work, and can you wiggle your mouth? If so, that is what they do.

December is when I start to see behavior problems. The problems aren't huge...just, well, they amount to a lot of wiggling. The only real problem is when I begin to lose my cool. I don't want to be the teacher that yells, but I end up doing it.

So, in keeping with my personal goals that I stated in my first post, here is what I have been trying:

1. Describing the behavior, without value judgments.

"You were talking when I was presenting new material to the class."

2. Identifying my needs, without shaming the student.

"I feel frustrated when you talk during my presentation of the material because the material will not be presented in another way, and it is material you will need to understand for the test. I need to be able to present this stuff to the group."

3. Understanding that my needs and the other person's are not always the same.

"I need you to be quiet during the presentation, so that you and your classmates get the info you need."

Met with: "I don't like this class anyway."

"It's fine if you don't like the class, we don't all like the same things, and I know I can be boring. I am old and tragically unhip."

"Un- what?"

"Never mind. The point is that I'm sorry you don't enjoy the class, and we can talk about ways to make it better for you. But during my presentation of the material I need you to be quiet."

4. Creating the solution with the student.

"Can you think of something that might help you not talk during my presentation?"

That's it. Granted, it takes more time than a sharp correction. It seems to be making a difference. I'm not sure if it's because I'm being more honest with what I need, or because they don't want to spend the three minutes with me that it takes to have the discussion. I do make sure to have a mint or gum beforehand.

The most interesting effect so far was with a kiddo that asked me if what he was doing was bad. I described the behavior I saw, and he wanted a value judgment. When I told him I was not going to label the event as good or bad, he looked at me sideways, and shook his head. I guess I broke the norm for him.

So there you have it. I will keep you updated. Only three more teaching days this month for me. Then two weeks of cleaning the basement.

Happy Vacations!
Alison

Tags for this entry:
problem solving, conversation, classroom strategies, nonviolent communication, ethics

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